Poison Genius Consort

o help the disaster areas while ridding the people of a corrupt official at the same time?”

Long Feiye actually shook his head.
“No, your lordship is going to sell grain as well.”

This… Han Yunxi was surprised. Is he joking? Selling grain at a time like this, when they need it everywhere else?

Although he had many grain stores of his own in Jiangnan, he’d donated quite a few by now. Where was he supposed to find more grain to sell?! And even if he did have the grain, selling it now would only foster more unscrupulous profiteers.
Such a vicious cycle would only bring further harm to the disaster areas.
After all, the motives of the profiteers dealing with grain was still to sell it off in the end.
This way they’d get more silver–the same silver meant to relieve the disaster victims.

“The imperial uncle still has three days left, but your lordship will force him to reduce the price and sell his grain tomorrow!” Long Feiye promised coldly.
At his statement, Han Yunxi suddenly realized what was going on.

She couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.
“As it turned out, Your Highness is the most fraudulent one of all!”

“Fraudulent?” It was the first time anyone had ever dared to curse him to his face.
But instead of getting mad, he grew interested instead.
“You understand?”

Compared to the daughters of rich and powerful families from this time period, Han Yunxi knew all too much. Of course I understood! While all the merchants were busy facing off against the imperial uncle by force-lowering the prices, Long Feiye would stick his foot in and announce that he was selling grain.
That would only force the imperial uncle’s grain prices to drop even further.
He only had three days left before his payment deadline to the Ministry of Revenue.
By then, he’d have no choice but to sell at the reduced prices.

A wise man took advantage of opportunities, while a capable man created opportunities for himself.
Long Feiye’s tactics would definitely send the black markets into upheaval soon! Of course, all of these were secondary details.
Long Feiye’s ultimate motive was still to uncover real proof of the imperial uncle’s embezzling activities.
He wouldn’t have the chance until the man began to sell and trade his stores of grain.
Otherwise, all claims against the man would only remain at the level of hearsay and conjecture.

Long Feiye listened to Han Yunxi’s explanation with some surprise.
He had to outline a pile of complicated connections to Tang Li before he got it, but Han Yunxi could see the whole picture after he said one sentence! Even now, I feel like I am underestimating this woman. Though he never spoke a word during their chat, he did nod his head.
To Han Yunxi, that was the strongest affirmation in her favor.

As soon as she finished, she struck while the iron was hot to murmur, “Your Highness, chenqie has a guess.
I don’t know whether I’m right.”

“Say it,” Long Feiye intoned.

Han Yunxi hid a laugh in her sleeve and drew closer to say in a low voice, “Your Highness, chenqie suspects you’re only bluffing about selling your grain.
In actuality, you’re not going to sell any of it.”

Long Feiye laughed out loud at her words while grasping Han Yunxi by the chin.
He reminded her in a devious tone, “Han Yunxi, it’s not good to be too smart.”

Han Yunxi wasn’t afraid of him at all.
She tugged at his hand until it dropped and said earnestly, “Your Highness, I already told you not to use your right hand! It’ll affect your injury!”

She had almost gotten into an argument with him when they were going home from the Hidden Pavilion.
Finally, they had no choice but to compromise.
He would only use his left hand and leave his right hand alone.
Even though they were discussing serious matters now, she was still observing his every move and the state of his wound.
When Long Feiye saw Han Yunxi’s serious features, he suddenly felt closer to her than ever before.
Unexpectedly, he agreed to her demands.

“Alright.”

—

Naturally, Long Feiye was bringing Han Yunxi to the black markets.
It was a place of mysterious trades and transactions, including some goods forbidden by the government or items for sale at inflated prices.
The money used often came from irregular channels as well, such as usury loans, laundered funds, thus making the entire market ‘black.’ There were two major black markets in Tianning Country.
One was located in the southwest and called the Sky Domain Black Market1; the other was situated near the Three-Way Battlefield between Tianning, Western Zhou, and Northern Li and called the Three-Way Black Market.
The Three-Way Black Market was not only the largest of its kind in Tianning Country, but the entire Cloud Realm Continent.
Many large cases that affected the economic situation of Cloud Realm Continent could be traced back to the Three-Way Black Market.

If not for the pressing circumstances, the imperial uncle’s estate might not have chosen to sell their goods at Sky Domain Black Market.
The Three-Way Black Market was a far better choice, being situated at the border, far away from the law.
Moreover, the complicated relationships between the various factions of the black market made it difficult to uncover any evidence of shady deals there.
However, the imperial uncle’s time constraints forced him here instead, giving Long Feiye the perfect opportunity to investigate him.

Long Feiye and Han Yunxi reached Sky Domain Black Market at noon.
It was a fortified stronghold located completely underground, with an entrance hidden in a barren hill.
Both of them arrived wearing face masks that concealed their features entirely.
As soon as they reached the barren hill, Long Feiye grasped Han Yunxi’s hand tightly and refused to let go.
They stopped before a dark, upright stele with no words on its surface.
Although it was the middle of the day with the sun right overhead, the blank stone tablet was markedly cold and gloomy.

“This is the entrance,” Long Feiye murmured.
Han Yunxi had heard of this black market before, but never expected it to be so secretive.
While she stared at the structure curiously, Long Feiye carelessly kicked it three times.
Slowly, a pitch-black passageway opened up behind the stele, leading to a tunnel deep into the hill.
Soon enough, an old man emerged from the darkness with a lantern in his hand.

“Kicking the door with your foot? Are you sick of living?” the old man reprimanded angrily, before slowly raising his head…

Sky Domain Black Market (天域黑市) – tianyu heishi, most likely the ‘tian’ is a reference to “Tianning.”